This invention relates to improvements to spouts and pouring lips as used typically on products such as teapots, jugs, kettles and pouring cans. This is not an inclusive list, and the improvements may be included within any product used for pouring fluid. The purpose of the invention is to improve the flow and produce a spout or pouring lip that produces only minimal dripping.
It is well known that for good pouring and for minimal dripping on a spout or pouring lip the exit form should have a sharp edge. However, with many products it is definable from an aesthetic and/or a hygiene point of view that they are formed from materials such as ceramics or other materials that are glass-coated or glazed. With these materials in particular it is difficult if not impossible to provide the desirable sharp lipping, particularly in production.
We have appreciated that improvements to spouts and lips can be made. In particular, we have appreciated that dripping from spouts and lips can be reduced, and that if drips occur, the annoyance of these running down an outer surface of the pouring vessel can also be reduced. The problem of dripping is particularly noted for table vessels such as teapots.
An aspect the invention provides a spout or pouring lip incorporating a subsidiary lip below the main pouring lip or edge. The advantage of the subsidiary lip is that drips from the main pouring lip or edge are reduced. This is achieved by guiding drips on an outer surface to fall into a vessel to which liquid is poured and preventing further drips falling from the spout or lip. Moreover, dripping from the main lip is reduced by terminating the flow of liquid before the main lip.
In a first aspect, there is provided a spout or lip for pouring a liquid terminating in a pouring lip having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface being suitable for pouring a liquid and having an inner protrusion protruding therefrom so arranged to terminate liquid flow when tilting the spout or lip after pouring a liquid.
The protrusion on the inner surface thus terminates liquid flow prior to the pouring lip, thereby reducing drips found at the lip.
Preferably, the inner protrusion is arranged close to the pouring lip of the spout or lip, and preferably has a fence or ridge like structure. This provides termination of the liquid flow at the appropriate point.
In a second aspect, there is provided a spout or lip for pouring liquid having an inner surface and an outer surface, terminating in a pouring lip, the inner surface being suitable for pouring a liquid the outer surface having an outer protrusion so arranged that a liquid flowing from the pouring lip along the outer surface does not pass beyond the outer protrusion.
The outer protrusion serves the function of guiding any drops on the outer surface into the vessel to which liquid is poured. Liquid does not pass along the outer surface past the outer protrusion. In addition, the last remaining drip clings to the protrusion by surface tension. Accordingly, the outer protrusion is preferably a downward facing point, and is preferably near the lip so that any drips falling from the protrusion do fall to the vessel.
The invention can reside in a combination of the first and second aspects. In an embodiment of such a combination, the inner and outer protrusion comprise a single step in the inner and outer surfaces.